Wednesday, December 19, 2007

On Wednesday, we roasted Chestnuts. It was actually my first time tasting a chestnut... The children really enjoyed peeling them. Keira absolutely LOVED the taste (not my favorite but worth the experience). It was a warming activity to do on a cold winter day.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

This morning we made Winter Berry Garland with popcorn and cranberries. Maia really likes "sewing" and is VERY careful with the needle (I use a yarn needle to be safe). The smaller children helped me pull the berries down the floss. It looked so pretty - we plan on hanging it outside for the birds tomorrow.

The squirrels keep on stealing the snacks we leave outside for the birds ... at least someone is enjoying them! We hung stale bagels on Grandpa's tree yesterday...

Monday, December 10, 2007

Slowly creeping toward the dayAs the winter paves its wayLove as fresh and pure as snowGuides us toward His loving glow

During this Second Week of Advent, we have placed our winter cati as well as a large pinecone and evergreen branches in the center of our wreath. The wreath reminds us of the circle of life and the symbols of the plant world remind us of the deep wisdom that lives within Silence.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

I sometimes forget how important it is to set up playscenes for the girls. This morning we did our circle and nature walk and came inside for soup. Then Maia was really at a loss for what to do with herself. It's easy for parents to become frustrated that children aren't playing with their things at times like that (that was the first thought that came into my mind). Then I had another thought... I spent 5 minutes setting up a few silks and toys to create a scene for Maia and that's all it took for her to spend hours playing. An otherwise boring morning turned into a fairy fantasy land with nameless adventures while I did my best to work on the last week of my February guide. I'm going to try to set aside a few hours per week to better plan out things like this as well as our meals. Stay tuned.

Monday, December 3, 2007

The girls really enjoyed cutting and pasting the Jesse Tree Ornaments for the first week of Advent. For three more weeks, we will add ornaments to the Jesse Tree until Christmas Day. This is a new tradition for our family and I also included it in my December Guide for subscribers. The ornaments are very simple but give warmth to our little tree in the Playgarden .

Creating our Advent Wreath...
Three purple candles to symbolize the penitence of the season and one Rose for the Joy and anticipation of Christmas Day. One white candle in the center to save and light for our Christmas meal. Lighting our first candle and saying our verse for Week One of Advent.

About Me

Little Acorn Learning offers monthly guides, festival e-books, menus and e-courses for parents and teachers interested in bringing a holistic approach to learning into their home or school. Visit the Little Acorn Learning website at www.littleacornlearning.com